About Cal Skinner

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Niggemann, 65, of West Dundee, was indicted April 16 on one count of receiving and one count of possessing child pornography, all via computer. The indictment was under seal until Niggemann’s arrest this morning. Niggemann was arraigned earlier today in U.S. District Court before Charles R. Judge Norgle, Sr. He remains in federal custody until a detention hearing scheduled for April 27, 2015 at 11:30 before Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan.

The indictment also seeks forfeiture of a laptop computer and a desktop computer and hard drives that were seized at Niggemann’s residence when special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at Niggemann’s residence in West Dundee.

In the circumstances in this case, receiving child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 40 years and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, while the count of possession carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, and a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

Zachary Fardon

The indictment was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Gary Hartwig, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI in Chicago. The Kane County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaarina Salovaara.

An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.